Argentine Sword and Wisteria Problems?

BabyBoyBlue

10 Gallon Freshwater

0.25 Ammonia (still cycling)
0 Nitrite
0 Nitrate

2x Sylvania Micro-Mini CFL 13W 6500K Bulbs (6 hours a day) - (recently changed to these 10 days ago from Incandescent bulbs)

1x Betta
6x Panda Corys
Sand Substrate

2x a week Seachem Flourish (~0.8 ml)
2x Seachem Flourish Tabs (placed 9/2/2011)

The Argentine Swords does show a little bit of new growth with new leaves slowly sprouting. But some of the existing leaves are not fully green. Some of the leaves are getting pale with green veins. Is this due to Magnesium deficiency? How do I "fix" this?

The Wisterias (in the same tank) are growing really nicely, and filling up the tank. The only thing is that few of the leaves have black tips on it. The wisterias had these black tips for 2 weeks or so before I changed the bulbs in the tank. Should I just trim them off? Is this black algae?

Thank you for your help!!!

kmiceray

I have read several times from other people that the bottom leaves on Wisteria plants usually die and fall off. So, I suspect this is happening to you since the leaves that are black looking are the bottom leaves. Im not sure about the other plant though.

Byron

The swords look fine to me. Considering they are new (tank is cycling you said) they actually look very good. Expect existing leaves to likely die over the next few weeks. Provided new growth emerges from the crown, they are fine. Twice weekly Flourish is sufficient, especially with the tabs as well.

The Wisteria is a bit different. This is a high light plant, and as the previous member mentioned, lower leaves often rot off due to lack of light. I have no luck with this plant in my moderate lighting. Most stem plants, with a few exceptions, need higher light because they are fast growing.

On the magnesium question, there is probably magnesium in your tap water (the hardness is largely a matter of the calcium and magnesium salts in the water) plus the Flourish and tabs. It is not likely there is a magnesium deficiency.

Byron.